LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – FEBRUARY 28: Asu Almabayev of Kazakstan poses on the size throughout the UFC Combat Night time weigh-in on the Santa Fe Station Lodge & On line casino on February 28, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photograph by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Saturday’s UFC Vegas 103 card featured simply ten fights, going down on the UFC’s APEX facility in Las Vegas. In the principle occasion, #6 ranked UFC flyweight, Manel Kape, stopped Asu Almabayev within the third spherical, albeit not with out an eye fixed poking controversy.
Within the co-main, Cody Brundage stopped Julian Marquez on the finish of a barnburner spherical in a completely pivotal victory. This card virtually fell aside as there have been six cancelled bouts within the lead as much as struggle evening. The principle card of UFC Vegas 103 had two break up choices together with the struggle of the evening. And the opposite three fights ended with finishes. Fairly just a few prospects on this version of losers taking their first losses with the promotion and with one fighter doubtlessly dealing with the axe.
Asu Almabayev
Asu Almabayev suffered a number of eye pokes within the sequence that led as much as his third spherical TKO loss to Manel Kape in the principle occasion on Saturday. The loss was Asu’s first with the UFC since being signed in August of 2023. Almabayev is now 4-1 with the UFC. The loss was truly Asu’s first since 2017, snapping a powerful 17-fight win streak.
Almabayev entered the struggle ranked because the #8 ranked UFC flyweight whereas his opponent, Kape, got here in ranked at #6. Kape was Asu’s third opponent for UFC Vegas 103 after he was compelled to reschedule twice from Steve Erceg after which Allan Nascimento (Brandon Royval’s damage and withdrawal from the principle occasion with Kape is what triggered the latter rescheduling).
With all of those elements in thoughts, Asu ought to struggle Alex Perez subsequent. In an ideal world, Asu would struggle Perez as each fighters final victory got here in 2024 in opposition to Matheus Nicolau. Perez suffered a grotesque knee damage in his final trip, final June, reverse of Tatsuro Taira. The #7 ranked UFC flyweight has been out of fee since then, however this matchup could be a worthwhile comeback. Asu didn’t have a solution for velocity and footwork of Kape. It’d be attention-grabbing to see him in opposition to a distinct fashion in 32-year-old Alex Perez, contemporary off of his damage.
Almabayev’s subsequent struggle: Alex Perez
Julian Marquez
Julian Marquez suffered a devastating stoppage defeat by the hands of fellow Contender Sequence alum, Cody Brundage. Julian’s dropping streak has now stretched to 4 fights, with the “Cuban Missile Crisis” solely making it out of the primary spherical in a kind of defeats. After beginning off 3-1 with the promotion with all of his wins earing efficiency bonuses, that is a particularly disappointing consequence for Marquez.
Regardless of being featured within the co-main occasion Marquez was very probably combating for his spot on the roster. Followers shouldn’t be stunned if Julian doesn’t stay with the promotion after subsequent week. Marquez is an thrilling fighter that made actual waves at one level. Not only for his harmful struggle fashion however truly constructing himself a little bit of a reputation throughout the UFC. The accidents and canceled fights have considerably derailed his profession with the promotion. Happening a 4-fight dropping streak signifies throughout the UFC signifies that the promotion was prepared to maintain you round for one cause or one other.
If Julian will get one other struggle, which is uncertain, followers may anticipate a fighter just like the winner of Torrez Finney vs Robert Valentin. Torrez is a three-time Contender Sequence competitor that needed to virtually transfer mountains to earn himself a contract with the promotion as a consequence of his measurement. Robert Valentin is The Final Fighter Season 32 runner up, dropping the match championship final 12 months to Ryan Loder when he was completed within the second spherical. These are two fringe UFC fighters attempting to show themselves, whoever comes out of the bout on April fifth ought to get Marquez, doubtlessly even the loser relying on how the bout goes.
Marquez’s subsequent struggle: Torrez Finney vs Robert Valentin
Esteban Ribovics
Esteban Ribovics misplaced an in depth break up choice to Nasrat Haqparast in a bout that ended up profitable struggle of the evening honors. Ribovics, a 2022 Contender Sequence alum, had gained three fights in a row since dropping his debut in 2023. Esteban had a monster 2024, KOing Terrance McKinney with a head kick in 37 second. And naturally, his break up choice win over Daniel Zellhuber that was the 2024 struggle of the 12 months.
Regardless of the loss, Esteban is on a roll when it comes to placing on bangers. Ribovics was a favourite coming into this one. And the loss, though it hurts his trajectory, doesn’t harm his inventory too much- because of how entertaining the struggle was. Matchmakers ought to preserve the great instances coming with Esteban by having him tackle the winner Drew Dober vs Manel Torres. That struggle goes down on March 29 and is assured to be fireworks. Dober has misplaced three of his final 4 bouts, however has secured two post-fight bonuses in that span. Drew is rarely in a boring struggle and his final outing was a very good one in opposition to Jean Silva regardless that he was stopped.
Manuel Torres is at a a lot totally different place in his UFC profession than Dober. Torres began off pink scorching, with three finishes and three efficiency bonuses. Manuel dropped his first bout with the promotion in his final trip, when he was completed by Ignacio Bahamondes at UFC 306.
Ribovics’s subsequent struggle: Drew Dober vs. Manuel Torres Winner
William Gomis
William Gomis suffered a aggressive break up choice defeat in opposition to an undefeated Hyder Amil at UFC Vegas 103 on Saturday. The loss halted William’s four-fight win streak with the UFC and was his first loss since 2016- some 12 fights. Gomis had been on fireplace scoring a break up choice victory over Joanderson Brito in his earlier struggle, final September.
Gomis has been in three break up choices out of his 5 UFC bouts. William is a strong, educated fighter that places on aggressive chess matches. For William’s subsequent struggle a matchup between the loser of Nathaniel Wooden vs Morgan Carriere could be good.
Nathaniel Wooden has gained 4 of his final 5 bouts and at 8-3 with the UFC is beginning rise to the highest of the division. Morgan Charriere is an skilled and thrilling fighter that has additionally gained 4 of his final 5 fights. Morgan additionally gave Gomis his loss again in 2016, so it’d be fairly cool to run that again in a complete totally different promotion. Charriere vs. Wooden goes down on March 22 so the timing wouldn’t be half unhealthy relying on how the struggle goes.
Gomis’s subsequent struggle: Morgan Charriere vs. Nathaniel Wooden Loser
Danny Barlow
Danny Barlow misplaced for the primary time in his professional MMA profession when he was KO’d by Sam Patterson on Saturday. Barlow, a 2023 Contender Sequence alum, had gained two in a row, stopping Josh Quinlan and snagging a break up choice victory in opposition to Nikolay Veretennikov final August.
Contemplating this consequence, it now makes probably the most sense for Barlow to revisit a beforehand booked struggle at this level. Danny ought to struggle Uros Medic who he was scheduled to struggle final August. The bout was canceled as Medic suffered a rib damage (Barlow fought Nikolay as an alternative). This bout is smart as Medic additionally suffered a primary spherical KO loss again in January in opposition to Punahele Soriano. Medic additionally bought his begin on CS and is 4-3 with the UFC. Uros halost two of his final three fights.
Danny’s subsequent struggle: Uros Medic
